San Luigi dei Francesi
- May 22, 2007
- Rated 4 of 5 by
artslover from Calgary, Alberta
This church is in the historic center of Rome near the Pantheon and a number of other popular sites. It is open Friday - Wednesday, 8am - 12:30pm and 3:30 - 7pm and Thursday, 8am - 12:30pm. Admission is free.
We went to a lot of churches often to look at only one masterpiece inside. If you are not as interested in touring churches, this would be one I would recommend because it has more than one masterpiece by more than one artist and the interior marble work is as beautiful as a work of art as well.
The interior has Caravaggio's three paintings of St. Matthew in the Contarelli Chapel. These were the paintings which made Caravaggio's reputation in Rome. Our photos don't do them justice. Over the altar, there is Raphael's painting of the Virgin.
There were considerably more tourists here than in some other churches. Here, we also encountered the box requiring a feeding of coins to keep the lights shining on the paintings.
The church is well laid out for tourists, with information pamphlets and explanations of the works.
From journal A Week in Rome to Wine, Dine, and Tour